Steve McClain was hired by UIC Athletic Director Jim Schmidt on March 23, 2015 to serve as the 11th head men’s basketball coach in program history. McClain owns 37 years of collegiate coaching experience, including 14 as a Division I head coach following his fifth season at the helm for the Flames.
On April 19, 2017, McClain agreed to a contract extension, pending Board of Trustees approval, that will keep him at UIC through the 2020-21 season.
Passionate, intense and hardworking are some of the descriptors that have come to define Steve McClain during his 35 years of coaching at the collegiate level.
Colleagues in the industry know him as a fierce competitor and a top-notch recruiter. Players describe him as a hands-on teacher that demands their best effort on a daily basis. McClain now brings all of those intangibles to the west side of Chicago where a new era of UIC basketball is underway.
In McClain’s fifth season, the UIC basketball team advanced to the championship game of the Horizon League Basketball Championship for the first time in McClain’s tenure and first for the program since its 2004 NCAA Tournament run. The Flames opened the tournament run with a 34-point of IUPUI, match the program’s largest margin of victory ever in the Horizon League Basketball Championship. After defeating Youngstown State in the quarterfinals, the fourth-seeded Flames upset top-seeded Wright State to secure a spot in the championship game. It was UIC’s first Horizon League tournament upset (by seed) since taking down Green Bay in a 3-6 matchup in 2017 and was the team’s first over the top seed since the 2004 championship game.
McClain guided Tarkus Ferguson and Michael Diggins to All-Tournament honors, the first since Ferguson and Dominique Matthews were named to the team in 2016-17. Additionally, Ferguson was picked to the All-Horizon League Second Team for the second straight year while Marcus Ottey was named to the League’s All-Defensive Team.
The Flames won at least 16 games for the fourth consecutive season; a feat that had not been accomplished since 1991-92 through 1994-95 under the lead head coach Bob Hallberg. Ten of those 16 victories came within Horizon League play, marking the first time in program history the team had 10 or more conference wins in three consecutive seasons.
McClain's fourth season at the helm saw at least 16 wins for the the third consecutive season. It was the first time with at least 16 wins in three consecutive campaigns since 2001-04. The Flames won 10 Horizon League games to secure back-to-back seasons of at least 10 wins in conference play for the first time in 19 years.
UIC was an attractive draw for national and regional television audiences throughout the season in McClain's fourth year. The Flames were prominently featured in the national spotlight six times with games on ESPN2, ESPNU, FS1 and Pac-12 Network. In the Horizon League’s six-game package on ESPN2 and ESPNU, UIC was featured a program-record four times, which matched co-conference champion Wright State for the most appearances this season. In addition to the national spotlight, the Flames played in front of large regional cable audiences in major media markets multiple times through NBC Sports affiliates. Home games against Loyola and Illinois State drew large interest in Chicago, while the game against William & Mary was carried on both NBC Sports Chicago and NBC Sports Washington. A road game at Saint Joseph’s aired on both NBC Sports Chicago and NBC Sports Philadelphia.
The Flames set a program record by making 303 3-point field goals during the 2018-19 season. Individually, Tarkus Ferguson set the single-season record with 100, while Godwin Boahen made 90, which tied for the third most in program history. UIC also had a smothering defense that led the Horizon League in defensive field goal percentage in all games (.417) through the regular season and in conference games only (.398).
Ferguson was believed to be one of two players in all of Division I to lead his team in all of the following statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and minutes. He was named to the All-Horizon League Second Team, becoming the second player in McClain's four seasons to earn All-League honors.
During the 2017-18 season, McClain helped the Flames to the program's first 20-win season since the 2003-04 campaign, while reaching the championship game of the
CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT). In Horizon League play, UIC won 12 times for the first time in 14 years, as well.
The team won seven consecutive Horizon League games between January 18 and February 8, 2018. For UIC, it was the first winning streak of at least seven games in League play since the 2003-04 team won nine in row against conference foes. It was the program’s first winning streak of at least seven games at any point since the 2012-13 team won eight straight non-conference games. After dropping the first seven road games of the season, the Flames bounced back and won nine straight away from home between January 4 and March 28 to finish the regular season and begin the CIT. The team’s road record of 7-2 in Horizon League play was the best since joining the conference in 1994.
UIC set a program record with 242 blocks on the season. Its average of 6.7 per game ranked second in the NCAA that season behind only Michigan State.
McClain helped mentor several individual standouts during the 2017-18 campaign. Tai Odiase was named the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season and he earned a spot on the All-Defensive team for the third year in a row. Odiase set both the program and Horizon League record with 361 blocks, placing him 38
th on the NCAA's all-time list at the exhaustion of his eligibility. Additionally, sophomore Godwin Boahen was voted as the conference's Sixth Man of the Year, marking the first time in program history that a UIC player won that award.
Two players - Odiase and Dikembe Dixson - eclipsed the 1,000-point mark under McClain. Dixson accomplished the feat in only his 56
th career game, while Odiase is one of only seven players in program history with at least 1,000 points and at least 700 rebounds.
The 2016-17 campaign featured 17 wins and culminated with a postseason berth in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI). The Flames had one postseason victory in program history entering the year and they doubled that total over a five-day span in March with victories over Stony Brook and 2016 NIT champion George Washington en route to an appearance in the semifinals.
The Flames also reached the semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament for only the third time since 2007-08 by beating 2016 NCAA Tournament participant Green Bay for the first time since the 2012-13 season, a span of 10 games. UIC also swept its regular season matchups against Youngstown State, Detroit Mercy and Milwaukee for the first time since 2012-13, 2008-09 and 2007-08, respectively. The 2016-17 Flames won at Cleveland State for the first time since 2006, and they became the first UIC team to eclipse 100 points since 2003, doing so against both Trinity Christian and Milwaukee.
Out of 351 NCAA Division I men's basketball teams, UIC was the youngest squad in the country during the 2016-17 season according KenPom.com with an average of 0.67 years of playing experience. McClain mentored the youthful group and turned it into one of the nation's most improved teams by winning 12 more games than the previous season. According to NCAA data, which uses the difference in both wins and losses, the Flames finished in a tie for 10
th among the country's most improved teams at +9.
UIC set a handful of single-season statistical records in the second season under McClain. The Flames scored 2,749 points, the most in program history, breaking the mark that stood since the 1986-87 season by 88 points. McClain also guided UIC to team records in 3-point field goals (272), rebounds (1,426) and blocks (184), while tying the record for assists (524) that was also set during the 1986-87 campaign.
Under McClain's tutelage, junior
Tai Odiase became the first player in program history to be named the conference's Defensive Player of the Year as he finished in the top five nationally in blocks per game for the second consecutive season in 2016-17. Two Flames,
Tarkus Ferguson and
Dominique Matthews, were named to the Horizon League's All-Freshman Team, as well. Ferguson, Matthews,
Godwin Boahen and
Marcus Ottey each earned recognition as the Horizon League Freshman of the Week throughout the 2016-17 season and UIC became the first program in conference history to have four different winners in one season.
The first season saw McClain lay the foundation of a bright future for the Flames. McClain recruited and mentored several young talents, including the 2016 Horizon League Freshman of the Year, Dikembe Dixson. Dixson was the unanimous choice as the conference’s top newcomer after he set the Horizon League scoring record by a freshman with 594 points in his first season. McClain helped Dixson to secure a spot on the All-Horizon League team, as well, after he he led the Flames in scoring, rebounding and minutes played. Dixson was named Horizon League Freshman of the Week a record eight times during the regular season and he also set single-season program records in both free throws (169) and free-throw attempts (256).
During his first season at UIC, McClain also helped Odiase develop into one of the top rim protectors in the country. Odiase led the NCAA with 3.23 blocks per game during the regular season and he was named to the Horizon League All-Defensive Team by the conference’s 10 head coaches. Odiase, who blocked 97 shots on the year, was the only member of the five-man squad who was not a senior during the 2015-16 campaign.
McClain arrived at UIC after spending five years on the men’s basketball staff at Indiana. During that time he helped the Hoosiers reach the Sweet 16 in back-to-back NCAA Tournaments, win the Big Ten regular season title in 2012-13 and receive national recognition for top-25 ranked recruiting classes. McClain also helped develop NBA lottery picks Victor Oladipo (Orlando Magic), Cody Zeller (Charlotte Bobcats) and Noah Vonleh (Charlotte Hornets). Oladipo and Zeller earned first-team All-America honors, while Oladipo was named the Sporting News National Player of the Year.
McClain was promoted to associate head coach prior to the 2012-13 campaign. Since then, IU compiled a 93-44 record with 10 wins against programs ranked within the top-10.
Prior to Indiana, McClain spent three seasons helping to rebuild the program at Colorado, including two years as the associate head coach under UIC alum Jeff Bzdelik. From year two to year three at CU, the Buffaloes jumped up four spots in the Big XII standings and finished the 2009-10 season with a 15-16 record, the program’s best mark in four years. McClain also helped develop then-freshman guard Alec Burks, who earned Big XII Freshman of the Year honors in 2010 and was later selected 12th overall by the Utah Jazz in the 2011 NBA Draft.
Before his time in Boulder, McClain served nine seasons as the 19
th head coach at the University of Wyoming and guided the program to one of its most successful periods in school history. McClain compiled a winning record of 157-115 (.577) during his nine years, the program’s fifth-highest percentage all-time, and brought the Cowboys to four postseason appearances, including advancement to second-round play in three of those four occurrences.
During the first round of the 2002 NCAA Tournament, 11th-seeded Wyoming pulled off an improbable upset against No. 6 seed Gonzaga by a final of 73-66, which snapped the nation’s longest winning streak of 14 games.
McClain led Wyoming to a trio of 20-win seasons from 2000-03, and was named the Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year in 2002. The Cowboys shared the MWC regular season title in 2001, the school’s first since 1988, and won it outright in 2002 with an 11-3 conference record.
Overall, the Cowboys finished in the top half of the league in six of McClain’s nine seasons and also won 18 or more games during five campaigns. He also coached five first team All-Conference players and two All-Americans in Josh Davis (2001-02) and Marcus Bailey (2002-03).
Prior to his time in Laramie, McClain spent four years as an assistant at TCU under legendary head coach Billy Tubbs. McClain helped the Horned Frogs amass an 81-44 record during his four seasons. In the 1997-98 campaign, TCU went 27-6 and a perfect 14-0 in league play en route to a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the school’s first appearance in 11 years.
During his tenure at TCU, McClain helped develop longtime NBA power forward Kurt Thomas who became only the third NCAA player ever to lead the nation in both scoring (28.9 ppg) and rebounding (14.6 rpg).
Before his days in Division I, McClain enjoyed unprecedented success at the junior college level. He spent eight seasons at Hutchinson Community College, including three years as the head coach.
During his three seasons at the helm, McClain compiled a 91-16 (.850) record and guided the Hutch Dragons to a National Junior College Championship in 1994. He was later named the National Junior College Coach of the Year and still holds the all-time best winning percentage in program history (.850).
McClain was an assistant coach at Hutchinson for five seasons and aided the program to a national title in 1988.
McClain has also served on the staffs at Independence Community College (1985-86) and his alma mater Chadron State College (1982-84). His first head coaching job was during the 1984-85 season at Sioux Empire Junior College.
McClain is a native of Orient, Iowa and is married to the former Kim Van Asselt of Hutchinson, Kan. They have one son named Dylan.
What They're Saying About Steve McClain...
Victor Oladipo, Former Indiana All-American and current Indiana Pacers Guard:
"Coach McClain is a great coach. He taught me how to work hard and appreciate the game. He taught us how to win, and of course, the importance of doing it all at 'game speed.' UIC just hired a great coach and an even better person. I wish him, his family and the University the best."
Cody Zeller, Former Indiana All-American and current Charlotte Hornets Forward:
“Congratulations to Coach McClain on becoming the head coach at UIC. I enjoyed playing for him during my two years at Indiana. I've always said that I would enjoy playing for him as a head coach as well. He leads with high energy and intensity. As a player, it is easy to play hard for a coach like him because he brings the same fire every day. UIC fans will love Coach McClain and his family on and off the court. I
wish them the best of luck.”
Gar Forman, General Manager of the Chicago Bulls:
“This is a grand slam hire for UIC. I have known Steve for more than 20 years and he has effected winning everywhere he has been. He is an A+ coach, an A+ recruiter and he has connections all over the country. I think he will fit in well with the UIC community and the fans will love him.”
Tom Crean, Head coach at University of Georgia:
“The past five years with Steve McClain have been nothing short of remarkable. Steve came at a time when we were still very much in the rebuilding stage and helped us push through the barriers and challenges to reach many great things. Steve's tenacity, teaching and ability to build relationships and recruit are second only to his unyielding work ethic and energy. On top of it all is the fact that he has such a great family with Kim and Dylan. The McClains gave us EVERYTHING they had EVERYDAY. We are
all better for it. Now UIC will be the beneficiaries of this tremendous coach, man and leader.”
Matt Lloyd, Assistant General Manager for the Orlando Magic and UIC alum:
"Over the course of his career, Steve McClain has proven extremely capable of recruiting and developing both high-level college basketball talent and responsible student-athletes. His unyielding energy and passion for coaching will ignite the program. The students and fans at UIC are in for a fun ride and as a proud alumni, I look forward to watching Coach McClain work.”
Jeff Bzdelik, Assistant Coach for the Houston Rockets and UIC alum:
“As a proud alum, I could not be more excited for the future of UIC basketball under the direction of Steve McClain. Coach McClain is relentless, energetic and driven for success. His positive energy will create an immediate impact.”
Updated March 13, 2020
